Author Notes

Booklist Review

For grades six and up, The Encyclopedia of Drugs and Alcohol covers more than 250 commonly used and abused legal and illegal drugs--prescription, over-the-counter, and recreational. The origin, history, effects, and uses of drugs are discussed in the concise A-Z format characteristic of encyclopedias. In addition, entries such as Binge drinking, Birth defects, Hazing, and Sudden sniffing death describe various dangerous conditions associated with drug abuse. Drug-related terms (Bong, Freebase, Homegrown) are identified. In each entry, numerous terms are italicized. These are apparently intended to refer the reader to related topics, but in many cases (e.g., drug recovery, freebase cocaine, injected, psychologically) they do not match entry headings, which may be confusing. More helpful see also references appear in the margins. There are occasional black-and-white photographs, along with several time lines and timetables. Following the entries is a section called "Where to Go for Help," which provides addresses and telephone numbers for such organizations as Al-Anon/Alateen and National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, a wonderful resource for health instructors. Also listed are a handful of hotlines and 12 Web sites, including prescriptionabuse.org, streetdrugs.org, and WebMD. Less useful is the bibliography of just seven titles, including one published in 1972 and two published in the 1980s. The author states in the introduction that the driving premise behind this source is to assist the youth of the U.S. to make informed decisions about drugs and thus reduce the problems of teenage abuse and misuse. However, the dull-looking design will not catch the eye of the teen or promote casual browsing. Because this is a relatively inexpensive purchase and does present current information and statistics, public and school libraries might consider adding it to their collections to serve as a starting point for curriculum-related assignments.